“We can pick out names for a girl and a boy. There, problem solved.” They were both just staring at me, so I continued. “They’re often wrong when they tell you the gender, anyway. Then you’re all ‘mentally prepared’ for an innie and it’s an outie, or vice versa. I heard about a couple––”

Court interrupted me. “Yes, we’ve all heard about the times when they get it wrong, but I’m sure that’s just the exception to the rule. They get it right the vast majority of the time.”

They didn’t seem to get it, but I felt strongly about this. “Giving birth to a new life is probably the greatest thing I’ll ever do. Having the doctor hand me my baby for the first time, announcing that it’s a girl or a boy is one of life’s greatest surprises. I don’t want to ruin that for any of us.”

“Well, when you put it that way.” Seth grinned.

“I guess we wait,” Court agreed.

8

Over the next few days, Courtney, Seth and I settled into a comfortable routine, with Seth spending most of his free time at our house. Seth pretty much only went to his place to shower, sleep and work. He and Court sniped at each other constantly, but only in jest, and they both treated me like a delicate princess.

One evening, Court came home from working the dinner shift at Joe’s to find me curled up on the couch watching a movie with Seth. Tabitha, the bitchy orange cat that usually only liked Court, was sound asleep on Seth’s lap. This was especially surprising considering my close proximity to them. Tab normally avoided me like the plague. Court’s basset hound, Buster, and Seth’s golden retriever, Buddy, were sprawled across the only available spaces on the couch, snoring loudly.

“Don’t you have a home?” Court grouched at Seth as she perched on the arm of the couch.

“Yes, but I rather like it here.” Seth grinned at her, unfazed by her jab at him.

“We’re going to have to start charging you rent.” I looked at Court because her tone sounded different than it normally did when she bantered with Seth.

I was still trying to determine if there was something wrong with Court when Seth turned to look her and said, “Meow! Do I need to tell Surfer Dude to start putting out? This dry spell seems to be making you cranky.”

I couldn’t help but snicker a little at Seth’s nickname for Courtney’s boss, Joe. Even though Joe ran a successful waterfront restaurant, I had always thought he looked like a stereotypical surfer. Everything from his messy mop of blonde hair to his perpetually flip-flopped feet screamed ‘beach bum.’